Rise of the Guardians von Aqua111 ================================================================================ Kapitel 1: In a dream --------------------- Author's note: The main part of this story happens several hundred years after the main storyline in the comics so it is alternate universe completely. I also have to add that I nearly stopped reading the comics after the Guardians disappeared so my story is based on the Archie comic storyline up to this point and what happened then is slightly altered to fit my needs. I'm not sure if the Guardian's Avatars could be called my own creations or if they still belong to the original Brotherhood creators so I simply say that they all are (c) Ken Penders/Archie Comics. This first chapter might be a bit short - it's actually thought to be some kind of epilogue but since most fanfic sites don't upload epilogues or name the first uploaded file automatically "Chapter 1" I also call it a chapter since I want my story to have the same amount of chapters no matter where I upload it. End of author's note ~~~***~~~ Rise of the Guardians Chapter 01 - In a dream His breath was going fast as he quickly turned to all directions, always ready for an attack. He wiped the blood that was dripping from a wound on his forehead away from his eyes but neither that nor the moon above helped him to see too far in the darkness. The forest around him remained calm so far but it was a creepy, unusual silence. Normally it was buzzing with activity even at night - little insects, nocturnal birds and other animals - but now it seemed as if everything had fled from the menace that was hiding somewhere in the dark. Something was waiting for him between these trees; he just knew it. A Guardian separated from the others - that was too good to be true for them and he was sure they didn't want to simply let that chance pass by. Or maybe the never-ending battles now had separated all Guardians from each other and they only didn't attack him because they had to focus on someone stronger at the moment. He could only pray to Aurora that they were still alive. Another step and something suddenly dropping from above knocked him to the floor, ridding his lungs from the breath he had been holding for a few seconds. Claws dug into his side. With a scream the Guardian fired a Chaos blast against the attacker which made him stumble backwards in pain. The Guardian got quickly back to his feet, one hand pressed against the bleeding gash, the other glowing with Chaos Energy. The Dark Legionnaire in front of him already had recovered enough for a next attack. His eyes were gleaming with murderous intent when he lunged at the Guardian. The latter quickly activated a Chaos shield but it was too weak. The first attack destroyed it and there was no time to dodge the second. His attacker let out a cry of fury and pain when he was hit by another Chaos blast - a very mighty one this time - and slammed against a tree. The Legionnaire struggled back to his feet and when he saw that the other Guardian's legs had given in he rushed for an attack. But bodily weakness never meant a lack of Chaos Force. Two slashes with emerald green glowing blades of pure energy, the Legionnaire fell and remained lying motionless. That attack obviously had drawn the last bit of strength out of his body and the Guardian dropped to the ground. The other was kneeling at his side only seconds later. "Spectre!" He now noticed the wetness on the previously dry ground. First he believed it was the blood of his own wound but then he saw the large gash on the dark Echidna's back and the puddle of crimson under him. It seemed he had narrowly escaped another fight before. Spectre's eyes weakly flickered open. "S-Sabre..." "Don't speak. Save your energy for healing", the younger Guardian silently said but with rough voice Spectre continued, "We are the last remaining ... the others ... they are dead ... they are all dead ..." His voice faded. Sabre stared at him. The pain spreading inside of him made him want to scream; made him want to cry but not a single sound came over his lips. He only sat in silence with Spectre in his arms and waited until the pain had finished lacerating his heart and the numbing emptiness could embrace him. "Come on. First we have to get out of this forest and then we will find a way to make them pay dearly", he finally said. All his hope had faded - how much chance could two Guardians stand against a whole army - but he still tried to sound firmly. "Do you really still want to fight?" Spectre bleakly asked. "If so then you should better leave me here. I can barely walk anymore and would only keep you up." "No way", Sabre replied and this time he didn't even need to fight for a vigorous tone in his voice. "I have lost too many relatives without being able to even try to help them so now I won't leave you all alone facing certain death." If it hadn't been for the wound at his side Sabre would have carried Spectre on his back but since the pain would have brought him to his knees he supported the dark furred Guardian instead. Slowly they moved on step by step and the younger male forced himself not to give in to the pain, neither the physical one nor the one that was ripping his heart into pieces. Instead he concentrated on the safety of the other. Spectre's legs gave up carrying him another time. His breath came in shallow gasps. "I ... I can't. I'm sorry. Just let me stay here." "Don't give up now. We're soon out of this forest. And if we reach the bastion of Echidnaopolis..." The rest went unheard when a sudden explosion blew them apart. As Sabre's eyes snapped open again he found himself surrounded by Legionnaires. Spectre was lying outside of the circle, motionless and Sabre didn't even have to take a closer look to know if he was dead or alive. The enemy's lack of interest in the dark Guardian was the best sign. He couldn't think anymore. The red veil of rage had sunken down before his eyes. With a cry of fury he jumped up, his body glowing with the last bit of Chaos energy he still had left. But also the Legionnaires readied their weapons and as soon as the Guardian attacked they opened fire. ~~~***~~~ Eyelids snapped open to reveal clouded eyes of blue. The young Echidna set up a bit and wiped the wetness off his cheeks. That dream again... Another time he had cried in his sleep over relatives he never had. It must have been the sixth time this week he dreamed about the same thing and he always woke up at the same scene. But why did this dream haunt him so much? Just being named after a Guardian who died centuries ago didn't mean he also had to be a Guardian in his sleep every night. With a sigh Sabre got out of bed, opened the window and looked over the houses of Echidnaopolis bathed in the light of dawn - that way even the last drowsy parts of his brain had the proof he was still in the city and not in a dark forest surrounded by Legionnaires. He took a few deep breaths while letting his thoughts wander - back to his dream and the history of Angel Island. He didn't know how the Guardians had fallen. Had it really been the way he always dreamed? One thing he knew for sure - after their deaths the Legion took control and it needed centuries of battles and greater wars until the Echidnas were free once again. The Dark Legion continued existing but they were a smaller group now and no real threat to the other Echidnas at the present time. Some people even said they would never be a threat again but Sabre doubted that. There still had been attacks on Echidna towns and villages in the south. To Sabre that looked as if they hadn't given up believing in their great comeback one day yet and they only had stayed away from Echidnaopolis because it was too strongly guarded by the EST - for now. Hopefully the next greater war wouldn't happen during his lifetime. Thank goodness the twenty years of his life he had been able to spend in peace so far. "But even if the tide would turn we would face our destiny, wouldn't we 'Guardian' Sabre?" he said to his face in the mirror. With a chuckle he grabbed his blue tunic - blue because it was his favourite colour but it also had the positive side effect that he looked more like his Guardian namesake that way - got dressed and left the apartment. 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